Five kids arrested for trashing vacant Des Moines home

A group of five kids are in trouble for trashing a vacant house in Des Moines.

Des Moines Police Sergeant Todd Dykstra says the kids were arrested after cops were tipped off by someone who saw the vandals in action. "Based on the information that was shared and these kids being at another location…committing some criminal mischief, they were finally apprehended by officers," Dykstra says.

The house was vacant, but being remodeled. "They broke in and broke all the windows, lights, toilet lids, bathtubs (and) kicked holes in the walls," Dykstra says. "Just destroyed the inside of the house."

Garbage was also shoved down drains to plug the plumbing. Damage has been estimated at $20,000.

The incident happened sometime after 8:30 and before 11 o’clock on Tuesday morning — when those kids should have been in school, according to Dykstra. "It is frustrating to see that such young kids were involved…they ranged from 12 to 13 years of age," Dykstra says.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development currently owns the home, which was under renovation for resale.